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Be prepared for flu, not alarmed
By the Journal Editorial Board | Thursday, September 24, 2009
We can?t remember the last time a flu virus has gotten so much attention.
Last year?s H1N1 worst-case scenario didn?t materialize as expected but then, it may be ready for another round this year.
The advice from health officials: Relax, it?s the flu, take some simple precautions to minimize your exposure and possibility you?d expose someone else.
We agree.
While the H1N1 virus could make a nasty showing in our schools and workplaces, it hasn?t. That?s the good news. The bad news is it?s early in the flu season and the virus has already made an early appearance.
Last year, the South Dakota Department of Health reported that during flu season four people died and 130 were hospitalized. Nationwide, as many as 36,000 people die each year from the flu.
Pennington County had the misfortune to lead the state early on in reported flu cases. Early in September the county had reported 39 cases of the 121 statewide. South Dakota State University had confirmed cases early in September and Stevens High School officials had to put an end to rumors there was a serious outbreak there. And just the other day, a teacher and several second-grade students at the Lone Man School near Oglala were confirmed to have the virus.
Adding fuel to those numbers, one study from the Harvard School of Public Health found that most American businesses were woefully unprepared to deal with an H1N1 flu outbreak in their businesses.
What will we do?
We?ll wash our hands, and be careful how we behave to minimize the spread of germs.
Doneen Hollingsworth, South Dakota Secretary of Health, recently wrote in the Journal that some simple steps would help minimize exposure to the flu.
?Make it a routine to wash your hands often with soap and water. Cough into your elbow or into a tissue, not in your hands. Get your seasonal flu shot as soon as the vaccine becomes available and be watching for more information about H1N1 vaccine if you?re in one of the high-risk groups,? she said.
Also recommended was a visit to the state site devoted to flu information: http://h1n1.sd.gov.
There are plenty of reasons to pay attention to the coming flu season, but as of yet no reason to panic.